My Escaflowne Dream
by CallingNewo
Summary: *complete* "Extreamly funny> comment by sweet roses" One day at school turns into an unwanted vacation in Gaea What happens when my friends and I get kidnaped by Dil and his boys? How will we get home? Surprise ending involving Van. Based on a dream. R&R.
1. Better safe than sorry

My Escaflowne Dream  
  
comedy/action/adventure/suspense  
  
By Jules  
  
A very big input from:  
Amanda  
  
With the idea-related help of:  
Joanna  
and Rebecca  
Thanks!!  
  
Disclaimer!!  
All of the people mentioned in this story, with the exception of Bill Murray, Dan Ackroyd, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Angel, Spike, Giles, and the fictional Escaflowne characters, have given their full permission for the  
usage of their names. They are:  
Amanda, Lacey, Rebecca, Justin, Joanna, John, and Shaun. The aforementioned movie stars I do not own. They do not know I wrote this, and I take no credit for the Ghostbusters stories and related themes, or  
the Buffy and Angel stories and related themes. I do not own any of the  
characters, places, related themes of The Vision Of Escaflowne. This is  
just a fan-fic for my own, and my friend's, enjoyment.  
Thank you.  
  
**SPOILERS**  
  
Part 1  
  
I was sitting in the hall in front of my locker, the same as everyday. I'm there early, like 8:00, same as everyday, and my friends, Amanda and Rebecca are with me, chatting, laughing, playing pranks on people with the broken water fountain across the hall, the same as everyday.  
  
But there was something wrong, something not the same as every other ordinary school day. No. We weren't all having a pop quiz! No one was there. In fact, no one was. . . anywhere.  
  
It took about two more seconds for me to realize how wrong I was. The hall was suddenly filled with a bunch of miner-niners (we're all in tenth grade), all of whom were boys, and all of whom none of us had ever seen before.  
  
Then there was one, only two of us, kind of sort of recognized. He had silverish-grey hair, all messy, and magenta-like eyes. Very familiar, I thought. . . but from where?  
  
Amanda nudged me. She recognized this little guy too. Before she could say anything, he stepped before me, (hey gimme a break, I don't know why, my dream I guess) and told me I was going with him. I said, "Excuse me?" Not in the snotty way, but in actual surprise.  
  
Suddenly Amanda clicked. "OH WOW!" She screamed and jumped up in excitement. "You're..... and you're.... and OH WOW!!" She screamed again, looking from, what I now realized to be Dilandau and a few HUNDRED of his trusty Dragon Slayers. Good Grief! Amanda pulled me up by my shirt collar and said insanely, "They can take us to Gaea, Julie! They can take us to Gaea!" She was attempting to dance around with me when I whispered sharply,  
  
"Are you nuts?!?!"  
  
"Don't you want to go to Gaea, Julie?" Amanda asked me, suddenly standing very still.  
  
"Amanda. I would LOVE to go to Gaea, but not, and I mean not, with HIM!" I jerked my thumb towards Dilandau and... Bad move.  
  
He grabbed my arm and twisted it behind my back. It must've been some sort of insult or something.  
  
"HEY!! STOP THAT!" Rebecca. She stood up, and firmly placed her hands on her hips, and continued by giving good ol' Dil a lecture. "You can't just KIDNAP someone, especially when she is my friend! And in the SCHOOL? Are you completely insane?"  
  
"Yeah, what's your point?" Amanda said abruptly.  
  
"Anyway," Rebecca continued, "We have things like police here, and MY mom is a lawyer and she'll defend Julie in court and boy, are you going to get it!"  
  
Dilandau, looking slightly confused, looked around at his.... 'men,' and said, " .... court?"  
  
One of the soldiers perked up immediately. He had light brown hair and I knew instantly it was big mouth Gatti. "Yes of course, Sir. It's one of those. . ." But his explanation was cut short by a whap upside the head with Dilandau's free hand and an annoyed "Shut Up!"  
  
Then Dilandau turned to Rebecca. "Shut up, little girl, or I will be forced to hurt you."  
  
Just then Lacey and Justin (ooooohhh) arrive from the caf. "Hey guys, did we miss any.... huh? What the?" Justin said, dropping his cookie. Guimel dives for the cookie and catches it in his teeth. "Yum."  
  
I had no idea what was going to happen next!!!! 


	2. Friends to the rescue

Part 2  
  
It turns out that Dilandau was smarter than he let on. He didn't want any witnesses, so he took us all. Great huh? Anyway, while I was being viciously carried in the clutches of a giant guymelef, I didn't know where the others were... or what was being done to them. All I could think of was, poor guys, please be all right. Okay, okay. So I was thinking, 'I'm going to Gaea!! I'm probably going to die a horrible fiery death, but I'm going to Gaea!!' Oh yeah and, 'What is psycho going to do to me?'  
  
Well, he had other plans for them. He was going to drop them off in the arctics of Gaea and leave them there to freeze to death. I did all I could do, which was whine and beg of him to let them live, which was absolutely pathetic, not to mention embarrassing... He grew tired of it and let me talk him into dropping them off somewhere safe, like Asturia. He did, but now I owed him... I owed him big! I wasn't quite sure what that meant, but hey, my crew was safe! Yay! 


	3. Seperation

Part 3  
  
While I was being carried off to somewhere, my friends were pleasantly thrown into a forest, crashing into a few trees. They were on their way to Asturia, to do exactly as Amanda says, because the others only hear me talk endlessly about Escaflowne, they don't actually listen, and Amanda is the only other one who watches the show. She told them that they had to find Allen so that he could come rescue me. Sure. That's what she says happened. I'm sure she just went there because she is in love with Allen, and they were going to rescue me... some day.  
  
On their short travels they fell off of two cliffs, tripped over two roots sticking out of the ground, followed endless amounts of mysterious footprints that they were sure would lead them to civilization, and they finally realized they were going in circles. (Oh and Lacey's cookie was stolen by Mole Man)  
  
But they finally made it to Asturia, and told Allen all about the whole thing. He immediately fell for Amanda, oh, and let's not forget, he got the Crusade in gear, and went off to Fanelia to express his new found love to Van, oh and to get his help so they can come rescue me! Geez!  
  
Meanwhile, I was getting my kicks with Dilandau. No really. I was being kicked. And punched and stepped on, and squished. Okay, I'll back up a little. When we got to Zibach, which was where we were going, I was escorted into a room. A very large, empty room.  
  
"Yeah, so?" I said.  
  
"Wanna play a game?" Dilandau asked, actually quite cruelly.  
  
"Umm... okay?"  
  
He reached his arm back, and full force, punched me, right in the face. I fell back. I am such a weakling, I thought. Then, because I am so cool, I did a kick ass Tekken move and jumped up and took him out at his middle, screaming "Ha Hah!" But it lasted about three seconds, because he flipped me over and knelt on my throat. He was choking me. Maybe I'm not as cool as I think I am.  
  
And as I was just about to pass out and probably die, my friends came to the rescue. The door flew open, and Amanda and Lacey and Rebecca and Van and Justin and Allen and.... hold it... Van! HELLO!! Oh yay! I thought. Without a breath, Van and Allen came quickly to my aid and Dilandau got up and drew his own sword before they were even there.  
  
Picture this. I am lying on the floor gaging and coughing because I had been choked almost to death by some loser's knee! How cool is that? AND, to top it all off, there were three insane men fighting over me. No, not fighting over me, but above me, with swords. Ahhh!  
  
My three friends and Justin came running over to help me. They not-so- gently dragged me over to a safer place. I watched as Dilandau was being beaten by Van and... where was Allen... oh with Amanda, and Dil was running away, right towards Lacey, Rebecca, Justin and I!  
  
And, to make a long story short, I got myself re-captured by Dil, and everyone got sent away or else they'd become minced meat when Dilandau called his one hundred plus Dragon Slayers.  
  
So they went off to party, and as they left, I realized that LACEY was with VAN! My life was over. I didn't care what happened now... Lacey stole my Van, just like the stupid compatibility test said. I walked away with Dilandau sadly, and just didn't care. 


	4. The Challenge begins

Part 4  
  
So, Dilandau explained my purpose here on Gaea, to become a science project by the Sorcerers. Now I know they'd probably do some freak experiment on me, all including excruciating pain, and the outcome would be some horrid mutation where I become an insane male... you know, like Dilandau. Well anyway, I had a plan. I asked Dilandau for only one thing. A dress like they wear on Gaea. And, to my surprise, he obliged. So there I was, a pretty princess look-alike in a pink dress (why pink? Of all things, why pink?!?), with my long, wavy, strawberry blond hair and to die for blue eyes.  
  
I was led to a dark room, and all of the preparations for the experiments were laid about me, and I pleaded with the people surrounding me. I couldn't see anyone, because such bright lights were shining directly in my eyes. I said, "I don't understand what's going on? Why are you doing this to me?"  
  
They ignored me, but I kept it up. "I have a family you know, I was just out for a peaceful walk when those Zibach creeps jumped me!"  
  
They still ignored me. Then I thought I'd have to start right into my plan. "I need to get back to Asturia, or everyone'll be worried about me, you know." This time they stopped and listened.  
  
"Pardon?" One said in a sick-sounding voice, rough and worn. He sounded very old.  
  
"Where do you think I'm from?" I asked innocently. "I'm from Asturia!" I lied.  
  
"You are from Earth," another stated, not impressed with my act of fear and sadness. Well how do you like that? And I am such a good actress too, winning the hearts of every audience I preform for. Humph! Well, gotta keep trying.  
  
"......Earth?" I put on.  
  
"Yes. The sphere hanging in the sky above our own world... Earth. That is its correct name, is it not?"  
  
"Oh! You mean the Mystic Moon! How should I know what it's correct name is?!" I questioned, raising an eyebrow.  
  
"You are from there." One replied bluntly.  
  
"I've never been there! I cannot believe you think I am a phantom, from that haunted old moon! All of the tales say it's haunted and that ghosts and monsters roam there. I'll have you know that I am not a monster, nor a ghost, and I am insulted if you believe otherwise!" I was so convincing with my false anger, and real fear that they stopped short, exchanged glances, then re-focused on me. Inside, I pictured my self with a satisfied smile and nod. I win! I thought.  
  
"But Lord Dilandau said..."  
  
"'Lord Dilandau said,'" I mocked, then added with fake furious anger, "Do you always listen to what Lord Dilandau says?! He's the one that got me into this mess, and quite unfairly I might add!"  
  
These guys were so shocked and finally took into consideration the fact that I was wearing Asturian clothes, and seemed to be very angry at Dilandau right now. They let me go, and I sat in a very comfortable room talking to a couple of Dragon Slayers. Oh, Chesta, Gatti, and I were have a great conversation about how I psyched the Sorcerers out big time.  
  
They had a good laugh, and then Chesta became a little concerned. "But what'll happen to Lord Dilandau?" He asked.  
  
I looked upwards, striking a tell-tale thinking pose and let out a long, exaggerated "hmm." Then simply replied, "Don't know, don't care."  
  
They looked a little stunned, just staring at me in disbelief, their heads cocked to one side. But it was all changed a moment after because Dilandau himself pushed the door open angrily, and said in a low, vicious sounding voice. "Get out. Now!"  
  
The two Dragon Slayers immediately left, and I went to leave too, but he said, in that same voice, "No. Not you." He seemed to have put so much stress on 'you' as if it were a poison word that he couldn't bare to say.  
  
I sat down, feeling dread form a knot in my stomach. A wave of motion sickness washed over me, making my head swirl. He was pissed.  
  
He turned around and seemed to be collecting himself, his back to me, trying to control his anger. After a short while he sucked in a deep breath and let it out slowly. "So," he started. "You like to play dirty, huh? I got in a lot of trouble because of you!" He repeated 'you' in the same manner as before. "But I didn't say anything about you being from the Mystic Moon for real. But now you realize that the war is on!" He paused, for effect, then turned around slowly. "You have the first point on the score card..."  
  
He moved on me with lightning speed, and I almost screamed, but caught myself (because you know, I have to be brave.) He continued, "Watch your back!" Then he just left. 


	5. Thoughts in bed?

Part 5  
  
I lay awake, my mind swirling with thoughts about so many different things. I thought about my friends in Asturia, about Van and Lacey, and about Dilandau. This is what I was thinking...  
  
"I don't think he's very smart. Mine is always a battle of wits, while he uses strength to get his point across. Maybe I'm not strong, but I am smart, and if it's a war of wits we're fighting, then maybe I'll win. But if I use smarts, and he always beats me up afterwards, we'll be each gaining the same amount of "points" and we'll be at a stalemate in our war. No one is going to win if we keep putting the same cards on the table. This is so confusing... man, I have to pee." 


	6. What's going on in Austeria

Part 6  
  
Meanwhile, in Asturia, my friends were all planning on saving me. (What? No big party?) As soon as they arrived, they began trying to figure out the most effective and efficient way to save me. They had come up with a plan and now had to wait until nightfall. (Mind you, it's still day here. Right about now, I was pleading with the Sorcerers to let me go. Do you see the 'meanwhile' at the beginning of this part? Well it tells you all about the concept of this happening while the other stuff is happening, and you're smart, you've probably already figured that out, so I'll shut up, and get on with it!) Everyone seemed to be taking a break from fretting over me, and Lacey, Amanda, and Rebecca were huddled in a circle reminiscing about old times when the four of us were together, and how great it will be when we're all in the same room again.  
  
Rebecca pointed out to the group that I had been developing a tender- looking black eye when she had dragged me to safety the first time they tried to rescue me. They laughed and giggled amongst themselves at my expense, and Allen walked over with a big smile on his face, amused by the laughing girls, and probably happy to see them relaxing a little. "What did she say, what did she say?" He asked enthusiastically.  
  
Amanda looked up from the group and replied, "She said..... you're ugly." Then she turned back to the group and they all laughed hysterically, even though that wasn't what they were talking about at all. Allen looked confused, and almost hurt, then Amanda went to him and kissed him on the cheek. "Don't worry." She said. "I think you're beautiful. That was an inside joke between the four of us. You see, when we were in accounting class back home, we were laughing, just like we had been, and Rebecca did the same thing you did just now, asked about what we had said. Then I said, 'she said.... your ugly' to Rebecca." She paused so she could laugh uncontrollably, then continued, giggling, "I'm sorry. You really had to be there. But it was so funny, and when you did the same thing, I had flashbacks and decided I should liven things up.... well because...." Amanda paused and looked at the others. All of their smiles seemed to fade.  
  
Lacey continued for Amanda, "It's because we all miss her, and these things we're talking about are things she did with us, and we're just so worried." (Wow. So they're not partying, despite my earlier beliefs. *snif.* I love those guys....)  
  
"Yeah," said Rebecca, "although that little moment was terribly funny, it was kind of cruel, Allen, and we're very sorry to make you feel bad. Honey, if you're anything at all, it isn't ugly!" She checked him out!  
  
Amanda shot her a dirty look as Allen blushed, and she threw her arms around him, using body language to tell Rebecca he's off limits. Rebecca got the message.  
  
"Well, guys." Allen replied after Amanda had given him some breathing room, "that's okay, I guess. I really don't understand, and I guess it's one of those 'you had to be there moments'...... but I was there...." He said and walked away, still confused, but all forgiving, "....and I still don't get it....." He shook his head and was out of sight.  
  
They all exchanged glances, and Amanda started to talk about a time when she and I were in Finnigan's with my little sister. "We ordered the Mainly Meat Platter, and before it came, she shotgunned all of the chicken fingers. I cried "Nooo! You can't!" She thought it was the funniest thing in the world that I was so serious and she was joking." They all laughed. (By the way, to "shotgun" something is to call dibs on it. This lingo derived from the cockpit of a plane, where the co-pilot's seat is called Shotgun. It was originally used to call the front passenger seat of a car, but later developed into calling first dibs on, really, anything at all.)  
  
As they shared more moments, night approached and I had no idea they were planning to come and get me and take me to Asturia. So I fell asleep as Allen, Van and the Crusade Crew broke into the Zibach floating fortress, and quietly spent the entire night searching the prisoner cells of the building for me.  
  
They looked everywhere. They all avoided the occasional guard, and quietly crept up and down the long confinement corridors, looking in on sleeping prisoners. They couldn't find me. Maybe it's because they ran out of time and had to leave or become prisoners themselves, or maybe it's because I wasn't in a damn cell in the "Dungeon!" I was given a quiet, comfortable room all to myself in the living quarters of the Dragon Slayer section of the Zibach Military branches of the building. The group left and Van prepared himself, for he volunteered to be the one to break the news to my friends.  
  
And he put it so gently too. "Uh, guys. We couldn't find her and we're sorry. But even though the possibility of her being executed already is high and that there is little chance of us locating her in the massive structure, if she is even alive at all, we'll go back and look again."  
  
Rebecca, Lacey, and Amanda's jaws all hung open, and they stared in disbelief at Van.  
  
"Tell me your exaggerating!" Amanda exclaimed.  
  
".....sorry," Van said, and left.  
  
I'd like to tell you that there was a great mourning moment for my "death," and that everyone was crying and asking no one in particular why I was taken at the tender age of 16? Why, oh why? I'd like to tell you that's what happened, but I can't, because it didn't...... not to mention it would ruin my fan fic!  
  
Instead, they all went to sleep the day away, because they had been waiting up all night for the news of my safe return. However, although there were no tears or why's, there was a great loss in everyone, and it seemed as if they'd never get their hopes up again.  
  
Oh, if only they knew that I was waking up right at that moment from a troubled sleep, they'd probably be just fine! And then they'd party...... maybe. 


	7. An invitation to dinner

Part 7  
  
As I had recently mentioned, I woke up. It was still dark out when I did, or maybe that's because it was just dark in my room. I drew the curtains, for, I was lucky and had a window. Outside, stars and strange constellations shined, accompanied by two beautiful moons, one of which was Earth.  
  
Why can you see Earth and its moon from here, but you can't see Gaea from Earth? I wondered, as I gazed at the bluish sphere hanging in the near- morning-but-not-quite-light-enough-to-see-anything-yet sky.  
  
I was already in my clothes, so getting dressed would be pointless.  
  
Now, going into extreme detail about what my day was like will bore you. And going into detail about what my friends' day was like will bore you as well, so I'll highlight parts of both I find interesting, (hopefully you do to...) and then talk about my strange and interesting evening.  
  
My day consisted of me asking Dilandau for some paper and pencils. He didn't have any pencils, but he did have ink and charcoal and gave me those. I drew many lovely pictures, for I can draw very well, and drew some anime, sketched a few of the landscapes below me, and had a wonderful time.  
  
During the times I was drawing or sketching, a few of the Dragon Slayers, and many other people stopped to see. Some of them were very impressed at how real everything looked, and asked me to do portraits. I did at least a thousand portraits, and everyone in Zibach now knew my name. Dilandau wasn't happy I was making friends here, so he stopped everything, and gave me a piece of paper with writing on it, and sent me to my room.  
  
I didn't read the paper right away, afraid it was a death note, or something silly, yet frightening like that.  
  
Meanwhile, in Asturia, (note the meanwhile) Allen was showing the girls and Justin how to play a very chess-like looking game, that was very different. They learned (in a long time) and played one another all day. Then they taught Allen how to play cards, for he has never seen cards before, except, of course, Hitomi's cards.  
  
He asked if they were anything like Hitomi's Tarot Cards, and Amanda replied that these were nothing like them, although playing cards were derived from the Gypsy's Tarot Cards in the Middle Ages of our world, although contained no magic, like Tarot Cards did. (Where'd she get this info?)  
  
Allen and Van (who had joined in later) learned Crazy Eights, Various styles of Black Jack, Hearts, Poker, Go Fish, War, Jack Ass and Old Maid. Soon, everyone wanted to play, the A-Crew, Mole Man, Milerna and Dryden (where did they come from?) So my friends, as I did, made many friends in Asturia. Only someone didn't come along and wreck it on them. (And Mole Man was always the old maid during the game.)  
  
That evening, back in Zibach, I read the note. It was an invitation to dinner. I laughed out loud alone in my room.  
  
"What's so funny?" Asked a strange, high pitched voice. It sounded muffled and ultimately like Justin trying to be a girl. I looked around for the owner of the voice, and found no one. "Over here," said the voice.  
  
I looked at a large wooden wardrobe. Well. It wasn't Justin... Thank goodness. "Oh nothing," I replied to its previous question.  
  
"Come on! You'll be late for dinner if you don't hurry. Here! Put this on. You'll look ravishing in this!" The wardrobe held out a frilly pink thing.  
  
"I don't wear dresses. Especially not pink dresses!" I paused. "But if you have something in blue... or yellow, I'll wear it!"  
  
The wardrobe shuffled within itself and produced a long blue satin dress, with long sleeves and white lace trimming. A large, darker blue bow was sewn on the back and another at the chest.  
  
"It's pretty. Do you have something with shorter sleeves?" I asked. I was going to be a pain in the ass because I was mad at Dilandau because he sent me to my room while I was making friends. The talking wardrobe produced a green dress, similar to the last one, only the bows were white, and the sleeves were puffy and short. I stuck my tongue out at it and it asked me if I liked it. Maybe it can't see me.  
  
"No." I said. It produced a sleeveless, yellow silk gown, the top and bottom were lined with white silk ribbons and there was a big bow at the back. I stared at it. It was very pretty. I said I liked it and walked over to the wardrobe and took it from it. I saw hands. Two sets. I grabbed one of each and pulled. Gatti and Chesta toppled out.  
  
"Ahhh." They both said. I was confused.  
  
"What are you doing?!" I asked in surprise.  
  
"I... uh... we have to.... escort you to dinner...." replied Gatti, getting up and brushing himself off.  
  
"Yes." said Chesta.  
  
"Well what, in heaven's name, were you doing in this closet?!" I glared at them.  
  
They exchanged glances, and Chesta perked up. "Well, we were getting you a dress."  
  
They were going to watch me change! I realized, and then I glared at them angrily.  
  
"We'll... um... wait outside." And they did. And I put the dress on, but couldn't get it done up in the back and nervously called to Gatti and Chesta to come do it up for me. They fought over who would touch my back, (Oookay....) And finally Chesta won, and tied up the dress.  
  
Then they did the strangest thing.  
  
They did my hair. Not messily like you'd imagine, but put it up in a lovely french twist. My hair is very long, and I don't know how they did it, but it looked pretty cool.  
  
"Chesta, Gatti. I want you to do something for me." I asked them while they were doing the hair-do.  
  
"Yeah?"  
  
"Tonight, pull out my chair for me. And Dilandau's too! Only distract whoever is pulling out his chair, so that he misses!"  
  
"What?!" asked Gatti, shocked.  
  
"Please. I have to play this prank on him! If not, he'll do one on me!"  
  
"Well, what's in it for us?" asked Chesta.  
  
"Ummm, whatever you want...." I paused, then added, "to a certain moral and politically correct extent."  
  
They exchanged glances, and finally said okay, for a kiss each. I shrugged and kissed 'em each. No. I will not go into detail.  
  
Then we went down to where there was a long table in a room lit with candles. It would have been romantic, except the room lacked colour. Everything was dark coloured, black and greys with darker shadows cast over everything.  
  
Dilandau stared at me when I entered. I must say, I was very beautiful (Oh modest) and he asked me where I got the dress.  
  
"From them." I motioned to Gatti and Chesta.  
  
"Where did you get the dress?"  
  
Gatti opened his mouth to answer, but stopped as he realized he didn't know the answer. He simply shrugged his shoulders.  
  
"Where did you get that pink dress you gave me before?" I asked Dilandau.  
  
"I...... I don't know."  
  
"This is weird." said Chesta. "What on Gaea would we need with all of these dresses for?"  
  
"Maybe they belong to Naria and Eriya?" Miguel suggested.  
  
"Whatever!" said Dilandau. "It doesn't matter."  
  
"Do you like it?" I asked.  
  
"Sure... I guess." said Dilandau.  
  
"YES!!" Replied all of the Dragon Slayers present. I blushed.  
  
Gatti pulled out my chair for me and pushed it in as I sat down. Miguel pulled out Dilandau's. I watched as Miguel turned around to look at Chesta, who had called to him. Chesta was putting on a worried look, just as we had planned, and was whispering some bogus things to Miguel about the meal. This prevented Miguel from pushing the chair in as Dilandau sat down. Dilandau missed the chair and fell on the floor! Then, to make matters worse, Miguel pushed in the chair, into Dilandau, who was squished and crunched by it and the table.  
  
Chesta suddenly gripped his stomach, his face exploding with laughter. He rolled on the floor laughing, and Guimel joined him. Miguel flushed and just held the chair. I snickered too, and heard Gatti giggling from behind me. But all of us who had been laughing stopped when Dilandau got up, very red in the face from embarrassment and anger.  
  
In the end of frustrated yelling, a couple of slaps, uncontrolled snickering, and asking for forgiveness, Miguel ended up being thrown in prison. Woopsies. 


	8. The humor it stops

Part 8  
  
Dilandau had told me he had a surprise for me. I was nervous, a surprise... from Dilandau?! This had to be bad, right? I had been told by Chesta to wait in a room with big plush seats and stuff. (yes, and stuff) Waiting. I really hated waiting. Especially for something I know would probably be bad. I took out my lighter.  
  
I started flicking it on an off. Click. Click.  
  
"MOERO!!!!!!!! HA HA HA HAAAAAH!"  
  
"AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!" I cried, and jumped out of my seat! Dilandau had come up behind me.  
  
"What do you think you're doing!?" I asked, breathlessly.  
  
"How did you do that? Make fire in your hands!?" he asked eagerly, his eyes crazy and blood thirsty.  
  
"You have flamethrowers, you have stealth cloaks of invisibility, you have the technology of liquid metal that can be immediately converted to solid weapons of destruction, and you don't have lighters?!?!"  
  
"No. What are they?" He said, simply.  
  
"They are like pocket sized flamethrowers, with a small flame, and they are carried around for convenience." I replied.  
  
"Oh..." He said, absentmindedly, while moving towards me with outstretched hands.  
  
"Uh.... so what did you want to show me?" I said, trying to change the subject.  
  
"....Oh yeah!" He said as if he'd forgotten all about it. "Look what I went and got for you!"  
  
"You got something for me?" I was truly surprised. "Really?"  
  
"You bet!" He said triumphantly. "Look!" And he motioned to the people coming in. All of them were tied up and gaged. They were my friends! Lacey, Rebecca, Amanda, Justin, and even more people! My sister, Joanna was there, and John, (a friend of mine, Lacey, Amanda, and Rebecca's. He's in University now, but still a good friend and he visits us! He is a big Gundam Wing Fan,) and Amanda's attractive friend Shaun, dressed as Superman. (a very inside joke. Shaun, Amanda and I are cub-leaders. Shaun came to cubs one night with new glasses and it made him look like Clark Kent, so we called him Superman all of the time! ^.^) Somehow, Van, Allen, Milerna, the A-crew, and Merle were there too. Had they all been captured? I was very impressed!  
  
"You did this all for me?!" I asked.  
  
"Yeah! But Van is mine! HA HA HA HA HAH!" Dilandau replied.  
  
Van looked worried, and Lacey did too. I scowled at the two of them!  
  
"Thanks!" I said, and untied all of my friends and Justin. All of the Escaflowne people looked worried. I didn't untie any of them right away!  
  
"Guys!" I cried!  
  
"Jules!" Lacey, Amanda, Rebecca, and Joanna cried.  
  
"How did you guys get here?" I asked, turning to Joanna, John, and Shaun... I mean... Superman.  
  
"Ummm." Said Shaun, I mean, Superman. (Ohh. I can do this.)  
  
"Well, I don't know." said my little sister, Joanna.  
  
"I guess it's okay...." I said.  
  
"So what do we do now?" Asked Justin.  
  
"Shut up Justin!" Said Rebecca. We all laughed.  
  
Dilandau shook his head and sat down. The Dragon Slayers all did the same.  
  
"Well, they're going to take Van!!!" Cried Lacey.  
"So?" I asked, scowling.  
  
Rebecca's jaw dropped. So did Amanda's.  
  
"Whaddya mean!?" Asked Lacey.  
  
I went to all the Escaflowne people, who were still tied up and gagged. "Hmmm." I untied all of them, except Van, and Milerna because she's annoying. Allen didn't seem to mind. He went straight for Amanda, and Shaun, who was standing defensively close to her. (oh no....) Van raised his eyebrows at me, pleadingly. I frowned resentfully.  
  
"Um. Dilandau?" I called.  
  
"What?"  
  
"What are you going to do to Van?"  
  
"I'm going to KILL him! My scar aches because of him!" He cried angrily. He started to rub the scar painfully. "It's all his fault!" Dilandau jumped up, screaming manically.  
  
"Sorry I asked." I muttered. "Hey! I have an idea. I'll trade you for him, kay?"  
  
"NO!!"  
  
"YES!!"  
  
"What?"  
  
"Umm, this!" I held up the lighter. Click. I lit it up, and the flame was reflected in his eyes. He went insane again. "I'll trade," I said, temptingly in a sing-song voice, waving it in front of him. His eyes followed it. He paused for a long moment, and everyone looked at him, anticipating his response. The other Dragon Slayers had gotten to their feet and backed slowly away. "It's all yours... for Van's freedom."  
  
"MOERO!!!!! HA HA HA HA HA HAH!!!!" Dilandau screamed as he grabbed the lighter from my hand and singed his finger! "HA HA HA HA!" He ran out of the room and the Dragon Slayers followed. Two closed the doors, and apparently stood outside on guard. Lacey went and untied Van, and Justin untied Milerna. He helped her up and she leaned forward and kissed him, long and hard. I felt as if I'd throw up. So did everyone else. Lacey flushed angrily and helped Van up. Van came over to me.  
  
"Thanks for that. That was quick thinking. You're pretty smart. I mean to have survived here with Dilandau all of this time."  
  
"We have sort of a war going on." I said. Then it came to me! "Yes! We have a WAR going on! THIS has to be part of it! What are you planning Dilandau?"  
  
"Who are you talking to?" Van asked me.  
  
"Oh, no one in particular. It's a dramatic thing."  
"Oh. Okay."  
  
"What could it be?" I started to pace. Everyone sat down on the plushy pillow-chairs. (Why are there plushy pillow-chairs?) "What could he possibly be planning by having you here? He's probably concocting some evil, malicious scheme right now!"  
  
"Actually, he's probably burning something!" Said Amanda. We all laughed. The door opened and I was hit in the face with something. I fell down.  
  
"What the hell?" I said, picking up what had hit me. It was my lighter. "Huh?"  
  
Dilandau was standing over me. Everyone was gasping all around me. Many Dragon Slayers had come in. He picked me up by the collar of my shirt. "Make it work!" He said angrily.  
  
"Okay, okay." I clicked it and made the fire come out again. I demonstrated again. "Just like this. You have to hold it down to keep the fire there. Like this."  
  
"Right!" He took it from me and he pushed me down again. I got angry. I stood up as he was trying to flick the lighter back on. I just lost control and pushed him back.  
  
"Don't hurt me!" I shouted. "Why do you have to hurt me!? I didn't do ANYTHING!!"  
  
He dropped the lighter and sped towards me instantly and pushed me down again, harder and farther and I had the wind knocked out of me. But I wasn't out yet. I was going to fight him as best as I could. He wasn't going to hurt me again! "URGHH!" I screamed in a way I've never heard myself scream before. I was like an animal, I was high on adrenalin, and I jumped up and swung my fists blindly at him.  
  
"Ahhhhh!" Dilandau yelled. I punched and kicked and he punched me back. But he was stronger and better than I and soon I was bleeding and bruised. But for some reason, no pain was hitting home. My Adrenalin was pumping, and I was insane. I don't even know what happened, but I had him down and I was punching his face again and again. The Dragon Slayers were swarming in on me.  
  
"GET THEM!!!" I yelled. "GET THEM AWAY! HE'S MINE!!" My friends immediately moved in on the Dragon Slayers. I screamed again with vicious intensity and elbowed him in the face so hard, I heard his nose crack. I pulled out Dilandau's sword and he kicked me in the ribs and pushed me off. I tried to swing it at him, but it was heavier than I had anticipated. Once the wight registered, I pointed it at him.  
  
"Give that BACK!!!" He screamed. "OMAE O KOROSU!!" He grabbed Chesta and pulled out his sword, shoved him aside, and ran towards me. I held up my sword defensively, and screamed. I squeezed my eyes shut and felt his sword hit mine. I forced my eyes open and saw his face twisted with hatred and agony. I pushed my blade to his and pushed him back. Sharp pain ran through my fingers. He had cut my hand. I screamed wildly again. Dilandau's nostrils flared and he screamed fiercely in reply. He looked like a terrible monster. What do I look like? I thought.  
  
He pushed me again, and I toppled onto the floor, on a broom, which hurt my back. I looked around. All of my friends were being beaten terribly by the Dragon Slayers. The Dragon Slayers were also getting their butts kicked, by the Gaea guys. Dilandau stalked towards me. I had a hard time lifting the sword again. This time I couldn't do it. My fingers were cut. I looked around and saw the broom. I broke the end off of the broom and used it as a staff. I swung it at Dilandau and he started to laugh. (Hey. This is me, editing. I just realized these two sentences rhyme. How strange!)  
  
"Come on!" I cried shrilly. He laughed even harder. "Don't laugh!" I yelled and ran to him. He laughed harder and louder. I swung the broomstick so hard, I had to shut my eyes. A scream of hatred came from somewhere deep within me. The broomstick connected with someone.  
  
"AAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!" Someone had yelled in pain. I opened my eyes. It was Dilandau. He was on the floor, trembling. Blood dripped onto the floor from under his hand, resting on his cheek. What luck! I had re- opened the scar with the jagged edge of the broom stick. I just realized that everything around me had stopped. Everyone was breathing hard and looking at Dilandau on the floor, and at me standing there with my broom stick, its tip full of Dilandau's blood. Stares of amazement were all focused on me and I suddenly felt very hot. All of my Earth friends looked sympathetic and frightened, they couldn't take their eyes off of me. Everyone was breathing heavily and Dilandau mumbling something about his beautiful face.  
  
I really couldn't say anything. I suddenly tuned into the sound of someone laughing. The laughing has been there all along, I realized. It was vicious, and frighteningly intense. I thought, at first, that it was Dilandau, but he was mumbling. I looked around at everyone, staring at me. Who is that?! It hit me in an instant. Oh no, God, It's me!  
  
I stopped laughing and looked at my right hand. It was splattered with blood. The stick had blood on the end. I dropped it. It hit the floor with a loud clang, and it echoed and rolled away. Now the only sounds were Dilandau whimpering. I suddenly felt pity for Dilandau, and a sick horror at the thought of myself in battle, screaming like an animal, and laughing triumphantly at Dilandau's agony. And I felt absolute fear. 


	9. A strange phenomenon on Gaea

Part 9  
  
What are we doing? I asked myself. I looked around at all of my friends, and it hit home for the first time, that everyone here was my friend. My Earth friends, the people on Gaea who had come to rescue me, and who took care of my friends. Even all of the Dragon Slayers, whom I'd gotten to know, were all my friends.  
  
If Dilandau was ever my friend, I thought, he isn't anymore! Why did I hate him so much? How could I have been so insane? What's wrong with me?! I think I started to cry. Not out loud, but I think tears were just rolling down my cheeks.  
  
I moved towards the trembling Dilandau on the floor. I heard Van yell, "No! Don't go near him!" But it seemed far away. I knelt in front of him.  
  
"Dilandau?" He didn't reply. "I'm really sorry, Dilandau. I ... I didn't mean to... I don't know what happened to me." He fell silent, he wasn't muttering about his scar anymore, he wasn't trembling. I continued to speak. "I don't know what came over me... I... Gomen... Ugh!" Dilandau looked up and grabbed my arm. He smeared blood all over it. He started to laugh.  
  
"You were overcome by the battle," he said in a low voice. "You were insane. You loved the fighting, you looked like a rabid animal. Your nostrils flared, your eyes were wide and crazed. You screamed like a rabid animal also! Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha hah! Who has really won this battle, girl?!"  
  
"I DID!" I screamed. "I BEAT YOU! I WON!"  
  
"But now you want more fighting, don't you. You are addicted to that rush of adrenalin, and you want more. So in truth, I win, because you will be driven mad by it." He laughed again and I became angry. Can this be true!? I asked myself. No. No, it can't. I won!  
  
"What do you want from me?!"  
  
"YOUR FEAR! YOUR BLOOD!" He screamed.  
  
I was being pulled away from Dilandau, I could hear him screaming things like, "SHE'S MINE! BRING HER BACK! HER FEAR IS MINE!!"  
  
The Dragon Slayers were pulling me away from him, and they had captured all of my other friends as well. I felt terrible. This was all my fault. Dilandau got up and picked up his own sword. He walked over to me menacingly and stuck his face into mine. "I'm going to gut you. Right here!" He whispered, and I felt the tip of the sword puncture my stomach.  
  
Suddenly, the door burst open! And In came... The Ghostbusters?! Their theme was playing loudly in the background when they entered. They had all of their equipment on. (Just when I thought this dream was getting good, and no longer silly, here we go again! Oh boy.)  
  
"Did somebody call the Ghostbusters?" Asked Bill Murray.  
  
"YES!" cried Dilandau. "I called you guys three weeks ago. Where the hell have you been?"  
  
"This place wasn't exactly easy to find, you know. What with being on another world and all."  
  
We all nodded our heads knowingly and were muttering things like, "Oh yeah, I see," and "perfectly understandable," and "well, that's okay then."  
  
"So where's the poltergeist?" asked Dan Ackroyd.  
  
"Umm, actually it's just down the hall to the left. Second door on the right." Said Dilandau. "And try not to mess anything up, kay?"  
  
"Roger! Move out people!" And as they moved out, the music went with them all the way down the hall. Murray had a boom box. Everyone just stared after them, until the music faded to nothing.  
  
"Take the prisoners away!" Barked Dilandau, then he turned on his heel and left. 


	10. This is no laughing matter

Part 10  
  
We were divided amongst ourselves into six cells. In one cell, Superman (Shaun) and Allen were with Amanda. There was quite a bit on tension in this cell. Milerna and Justin had a cell all to themselves. (choke, gag, puke) Rebecca and John were thrown into the cell Miguel was previously put into. The A-Crew was just in one cell all to themselves. Van and Lacey were together, and plagued with Merle. And finally, my sister and I were together. Cells:  
  
1 Allen, Shaun(superman) and Amanda  
  
2 Milerna, Justin,  
  
3 Rebecca, Miguel, John  
  
4 A-Crew  
  
5 Van, Lacey, Merle  
  
6 Me, Joanna  
  
I was singing in my cell. Singing "Nobody knows the trouble I've seen, nobody knows my sorrow," in a very low and masculine voice. (Space Balls) Everyone from Earth started laughing hysterically.  
  
"Leave it to Julie to do something idiotically funny when we're all about to die!" Said my sister, even though she was laughing too!  
  
"Hey! Let's all sing! That should cheer us up!" I said.  
  
"Nooooo!" Cried Joanna. She hates it when I sing, because I do it all the time. ("The only time you stop singing is to think of another song to sing!" She says.)  
  
"?Kumbya, my Lord, Kumbya, Kumbya, my Lord, Kumbya..."  
Lacey and Amanda joined in with our upbeat version. "Kumbya, Kumbya! Kumbya, Kumbya! Kumbya, Kumbya! Kumbya, Kumbya! Somebody's cryin' Lord, Kumbya, woah, Somebody's cryin' Lord, Kumbya, WOAH OOF!"  
  
That was me. Joanna clobbered me, and covered my mouth. Lacey and Amanda stopped and looked into our cell. I slapped Joanna's face.  
  
"AHHH!"  
  
"AHHH!!"  
  
When Push comes to Shove among sisters, here we go! We were going at it, and everyone was telling us to stop, from all of the other cells.  
  
"Stop!"  
  
"Joanna!"  
  
"You guys are sisters!"  
  
"Stop! Stop it!"  
  
I made Joanna's own hands hit her own face as she was grabbing my arms. We were having a bloody wrestling match! Oh boy!  
  
"HEY! Pipe Down, girls!!" Cried Chesta and Gatti. They opened our cell and came in to break us up.  
  
"Kuso!!" I cried. "Pookie!!"  
  
We turned on the Dragon Slayers. They screamed as Joanna and I took our fury for each other out on the them.  
  
"AHHHH!! She's biting me!!!" Cried Gatti. I looked over at Joanna, biting his hand. He was shaking it violently, but she wouldn't let go.  
  
I grabbed the keys from Chesta and pushed him into the cell. "Joanna!" I cried. She knocked Gatti over and ran out of the cell. We closed it and locked it.  
  
"HEY!" cried Chesta.  
  
"Wait a minute!" Said Gatti.  
  
We started to unlock all of the other cells.  
  
"HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HAH!"  
  
I looked up to Dilandau laughing manically. All the Dragon Slayers flocking him started laughing too. I started laughing. Joanna started laughing. So did everyone else. Soon we were all standing around, laughing for no reason. None of us knew why. Gatti and Chesta started laughing from within their cell. So we let them out. We let everyone out. Tears were rolling down everyone's cheeks. Merle was rolling on the floor and Van was being propped up by Lacey. Rebecca was banging her fist on the wall and Allen was wiping tears away from his eyes. After I caught my breath, I shouted above the crowd of laughter, choking out the words between the giggles. "What's...... the....... joke?"  
  
Dilandau answered me, putting a hand on Guimel's shoulder to support himself because he was still laughing, only now it was a normal happy laugh. "You...." He said. "You..... will never.... be able to get........ out!" There was a roar of even harder laughter. Then he continued, "We're FLYING!!! AH HA HA!" And again we all laughed as if it were the funniest thing. I started to realize that something must be going on. None of us could control ourselves.  
  
Gatti took over and came closer to me. Wiping tears from his laughing face he tried to tell us something else, "If you...... jumped...." He couldn't continue, it was too funny.  
  
"We'd all be Flat...... like PANCAKES!!" Merle squealed. This set everyone off. We were uncontrollable now. Most of us were on the floor clutching our stomachs.  
  
Bill Murray came in. He started to laugh with us and said something. "My comrades are idiots......... they set off the..... laughing gas in...........HERE!!!" We all laughed again. "We were...... supposed to use..... it on the ghost.............. WHOOPS!!!" Again, we roared with false laughter. "If we don't get out.......... we'll probably DIE...... from so much intake of....... this gas!" We laughed even harder at that.  
  
"Guess we'll......... DIE LAUGHING!!!" Amanda called out, and we all laughed even harder than ever, crawling out of the prison cell hall. When we got out, we all calmed down and thanked Bill Murray for saving us.  
  
"No problem," he giggled and went away.  
  
"Anyway," Dilandau said, a big smile on his face. He came right up to me and put a hand on my shoulder.  
  
"Don't touch me..." I said.  
  
"Whatever. Listen. Don't try to escape or you'll die. Got it? And YOU, VAN! BE VERY CAREFUL!! IF YOU GIVE ME ONE REASON TO KILL YOU, I WILL!!!"  
  
"Wait!" I said, "You're ACTUALLY going to honour our deal."  
  
"What deal?" Said Dilandau.  
  
"The trade for Van and the lighter."  
  
"Oh yeah. Umm, I guess so." 


	11. Devising a plan

Part 11  
  
"Okay guys!" I said in a hushed tone to all of the Gaea guys and my Earth pals! We were hushed because there were two Dragon Slayers guarding the doors to the plushy pillow chair room. "We have Van, who's got the wings, and SuperShaun who can..."  
  
"Wait a minute.... HE'S got wings? Where?!" Asked Justin.  
  
"Shut up, Justin." Said Rebecca. We all laughed.  
  
"Anyway," I continued, "They can take one or two of us at a time, and get us the hell out of here!"  
  
"Good idea, Jules!" Said Amanda.  
  
"But how do WE get back to Earth?" Asked Joanna.  
  
"We're LEAVING Gaea?!" Said Lacey, casting worried looks at Van. I stuck my tongue out at them when her head was turned.  
  
"Yes, we're leaving Gaea," I said.  
  
Amanda, Allen, Lacey, Van, Justin, and Milerna gave me pouts. I stared. Chesta was pouting too. Wait a minute... Chesta.  
  
I looked at him angrily. "What are you doing here!?"  
  
He looked fretfully around and pulled out a mini skirt from nowhere and holds it out to me. "Uh.... dress?"  
  
"Gimme THAT!" I yelled and grabbed it from him. Then Justin clobbered him.  
  
"I did it!" He said triumphantly.  
  
"I said, 'Shut up!' Dammit!" Said Rebecca, and clobbered him. Milerna rushed to his aid.  
  
I tried to continue, "What do you know, you little runt?!" I asked Chesta.  
  
"I uh........Julie's leaving..........?" He said.  
  
"Get him!" Yelled Rebecca.  
  
"Yeah!" said Lacey.  
  
"He knows too much," Said John with a crazed look in his eyes, and he gags Chesta and throws him in a closet... "I saw this in a Gundam Wing episode once......... oh wait.... no. That was when I was with Megan."  
  
"JOHN!" cried Rebecca. "That's disgusting...."  
  
After that was all sorted out, we got back to business.  
  
"Amanda, you can't go!" Said Allen.  
  
"Oh yes she can!" Said SuperShaun. The two stood facing one another, trying to stare each other down.  
  
"ANYWAY!!" I tried again, "We could at least get out of here!"  
  
"Yeah!" They all said.  
  
"HAH HAH! You blinked! You blinked!" Cried Allen triumphantly, jumping up and down. SuperShaun looked lost and hurt.  
  
Everyone else rolled their eyes and sweatdropped.  
  
"Yeah, getting out of here would be great," said my sister. "Any ideas?"  
  
"YES!" I cried. "I just said my idea, like, two minutes ago!"  
  
"Yeah, well I forgot! So much has just happened," she replied simply.  
  
"Actually, I forgot too." Said Amanda.  
  
"Me too," said Lacey.  
  
"You weren't even listening in the first place..... neither was my Van." I said under my breath.  
  
"What?" she asked.  
  
"Uh... I said, 'We'll soon be.... gone... with the help of SuperShaun....and Van!'" I replied nervously. "ANYWAY, shimatta, Van will fly us down, and Shaun will fly us down and we'll escape, easy as..... uh...... easy as..." I grinned at Rebecca. "Easy as Rebecca..."  
  
"URH!!" snarled Rebecca. Everyone laughed. Especially Justin.  
  
"Shut up, Justin!" She said. We all continued laughing.  
  
Suddenly, without warning, Guimel runs through one door, screaming wildly with terror, and runs right across the room, through the other door on the opposite side. Everyone exchanged glances and looked confused.  
  
"Oookay..." Said Rebecca.  
  
"That was......... unexpected...." Said John.  
  
"More like...... different." Said Joanna. "I mean, we've all seen some pretty strange things since we've been here..... but that was the weirdest!"  
  
And then Buffy the Vampire Slayer ran through the room carrying a stake held high. She was screaming "Come back here, you puffy-haired Vampire!" Then she disappeared through the door after Guimel.  
  
"I stand corrected." Said Joanna. "THAT was the weirdest."  
  
Giles and the gang ran through now, yelling things like, "Buffy! That's not the vampire....", and "That isn't Spike!", and "Wait up!" They also ran through the door. The Dragon Slayer guarding it was stunned, (there is only one, because Chesta is "tied" up at the moment.... heh heh heh.) So he let everyone pass.  
  
Spike was next. "Slayer!" he yelled. "I'm right.......... wait a minute," he stopped and nodded thoughtfully. "This makes everything easier on me." He walked over to our little group and sat down on a plushy pillow chair and said, "mind if I have one of these?" He asked, taking one of our root beers. (where did we get root beer? Where did we get plushy pillow chairs, for that matter...?)  
  
"Mind if I have... you?" asked Amanda, smiling mischievously.  
  
"Yes! I MIND!!" Shouted Allen and SuperShaun at the same time. They grabbed the struggling Amanda, and dragged her away from the confused but turned-on Spike.  
  
Rebecca put her arm around Spike, and says, "Hey honey, the name's Rebecca. But you can call me 'Lover,' 'cause you are fine!"  
  
Spike is loving it, when just then, Angel runs through the room. He sees Spike and skids to a stop, and walks over. "Spike.... what the hell are you doing HERE?! Buffy is chasing you, right?"  
  
"I guess so...." he replied, not really listening to him.  
  
".........Hey...." Said Angel, looking at Rebecca. "You're cute!"  
  
"So are you." Rebecca said, devilishly.  
  
"Now just a minute..." Spike perked up. "I saw her first!"  
  
"No you didn't," smiled Angel.  
  
"Bloody Hell, I didn't."  
  
"Oh no..." I uttered. "That's all we need. Two vampires to add to the already-strange group we have here."  
  
Amanda looks at Rebecca in shock. Rebecca replies to Amanda's look, saying, "you're not the only one...." Then she lays back and enjoys the two men arguing over her. 


	12. The challenge continues

Part 12  
  
So let's take a look at this group, shall we? We've got Allen, a blond knight, fighting with Superman, over Amanda. And there's a fifteen year old king (Van... sigh) in love with Lacey (awwwww, darn), and there are Rebecca and her two vampires, and a cat girl, and a bunch of gruffy air- ship pilots, there's an annoying princess lusting after Justin (puke), and John who is just John all by himself, and Joanna and I! Oh boy...... what a crew!  
  
I suppose you are all wondering what happened to that little war between Dilandau and I, right? Well, we started playing pranks on each other again.  
  
One morning we were all enjoying breakfast, when I found a scorpion in my cereal. I was very disgusted... so I put one in Dilandau's bed. But I think he found it, because he's still alive. Later, Dilandau tripped me in a hallway, into a puddle of watery mud that had conveniently been spilled there, and I got terribly dirty. So, while the rest of us were eating chocolate pudding, I made it so Dilandau got a little extra "gritty goodness," you might say. I gave him mud. Mmmmm.  
  
And it's been going on like this for a while now. One thing after another, and they seem to get worse and worse. But enough about this... I still wanted to get home.  
  
This getting home problem was ever worsening. It seems every time I blink, another person from our world was transported here with us. I, being the one that is responsible for everything here, felt obligated to bring them all back with me... if I could get back myself... hence my problem.  
  
To make matters worse, some people didn't want to return home... like Lacey, for instance. She and my Van were really hitting it off. She didn't want to leave. Rebecca knew that if we went back, the two vampires and herself would be separated forever. So she didn't want to leave either. And forget Amanda. She would stay with Allen, even IF the rest of us could get back. (Although SuperShaun can't wait to leave... with Amanda.) Justin didn't really mind Milerna's obsession with him, and had really no care for our world, so he'd probably stay anyway. John, however, would prefer to be in a Gundam Wing fan dream, or home. This Escaflowne thing was not his cup of tea.  
  
But I had to try and convince them.  
  
I was sitting in the plushy pillow chair room, designing my next plan to get Dilandau, when Chesta burst through the closet door. The gag had been gnawed away, his hair was all messy and he looked flustered.  
  
He looked startled to see I was in there, as if he had been waiting for the right time to get out so that no one would see him.  
  
"Chesta?" I said slowly.  
"Heh heh... hi." He went back into the closet and returned with a flowery summer dress. He gave it to me. I took it absentmindedly. I had gotten used to this by now.  
  
"I forgot about you completely!"  
  
He nodded.  
  
"You've been in there for three days!"  
  
He nodded again.  
  
"You look terrible!"  
  
He started to nod, but stopped and frowned.  
  
"...sorry."  
  
"I would love to stay and talk... but I really, really have to pee, really, really bad!" He said.  
  
"Oh... ok. See ya!" I replied, and carried on with my evil scheme.  
  
From out in the hall, I heard Dilandau's voice.  
  
"CHESTA! WHERE THE HELL HAVE YOU BEEN?!"  
  
"I.... I... AHHHHH!"  
  
I heard fast footsteps as, what I assumed to be, Chesta running for the bathroom.  
  
Dilandau entered the plushy pillow room and looked at me. "Well how do you like that?" he asked me. "What was that about?"  
  
"Beats me..."  
  
".......... okay."  
  
"No.... it's a figure of speech."  
  
"A.... what?"  
  
"URHG!!!" I slap my forehead in frustration.  
  
"Yikes.....okay. Change of subject in order... HEY! What are you working on?" Says Dilandau quickly.  
  
"Um!" I scrambled to my feet and began scooping up my plans of Dilandau's destruction! 


	13. The plan!

Part 13  
  
I had found a way! After all of this time, I finally found a way home. I didn't know why I hadn't thought of it before! The pendant! Hitomi's pendant that she left with Van. It would send us all home. But Van left it in Fanelia, the twit. I began the plans right away. We would begin the greatest challenge of our lives in a couple of days. Starting with Phase 1: Dilandau's Downfall.  
  
Phase One: Dilandau's Downfall  
  
I had been working on the plans tirelessly for two days. I finally called all of my earth friends and non-Zibach affiliated Gaia friends to the plushy pillow room and told them, plain and simple, Earthlings, you are coming home, end of story. Gaia guys, you are going to help us get there!  
  
We began executing the plan immediately and everything was perfect. Step one of Phase one was isolation. All of us captured the Dragon Slayers and began to get rid of them. We put them into all of the cells and had the Ghost Busters on guard duty. Slowly, one by one, isolation was being fulfilled. After about a day and a half, the only Dragon Slayer left was Dilandau himself. Oh and Chesta... he was bent on helping us.  
  
Step two was to demean him by beating him at something he was good at. I chose sword play. Only I wasn't very good. But I had a plan you see. I had a very good plan. I asked Dilandau to join me for a drink. I needed to get him tipsy, so he wouldn't find the later events obviously strange. We drank some of the famous purple wine that everyone in Gaia seems to have. It was really sweet. We drank a lot.  
  
Dilandau could hold his alcohol. I, on the other hand, could not. And I found out the hard way. By the time Dilandau was tipsy, I couldn't see straight, much less hold a sword. But that's okay, because I wasn't going to be fighting Dilandau.  
  
"Do you want to make a small wager, Dilly?" I slurred.  
  
"What sort of wager?" He giggled.  
  
"How about a battle. Just you and me... with swords..... but no cutting, god no... just you and me."  
  
"Okay. What are we wagering... your freedom?"  
  
"Been there, done that. How about all of my friends' freedom!"  
  
"Ummm. Okay. If I win, I want you."  
  
"......... beg pardon?"  
  
"To kill you, you know... geez, get your mind out of the gutter!"  
"Okay, okay."  
  
Meanwhile, Milerna and Rebecca were putting their touches on Allen, the gallant swordsman. Crimping his hair slightly, putting on make up. Chesta was picking out a dress that somewhat resembled the one I was wearing with Dilandau, and one that would fit Allen. Allen would beat Dilandau, and he would think it was me. Blond hair, blue eyes, you know.  
  
The plan was working perfectly. We were to meet in the hall where he had taken me the very first time I got to Gaia, where we had our first battle encounter. But I wasn't going. Allen was going in my place. I just hoped everything went well.  
  
I waited outside, listening for my que to come in after Allen had beaten him. I prayed Dilandau was tipsy enough not to notice I was about three feet taller and much stronger! It worked! For once on this whole damn trip, something had gone right! Onto Part Three, Phase One, Allen beating Dil.  
  
The battle lasted such a long time. But finally an audible thud could be heard and we were all tense with excitement and anxiety of who could have fallen. Allen came out of the room, all dolled up. Dilandau lay face down on the floor, knocked out. Allen handed me his sword. "Time to switch places.... you owe me." He whispered.  
  
I sat down next to the unconscious Dilandau and waited for him to reawaken. When he finally did, he saw me, holding my own sword and his. The blood on his lip told him he had been knocked out. I saw him putting two and two together and realizing I had won. It shattered him. That was exactly what I was going for.  
  
And we were all free!  
  
Phase Two: Pendant Pick-up  
  
Now that we were free to leave, we had to get to Fanelia. It's a good thing the crusade was still there. The crew got it up an running and we boarded.  
  
"I was looking forward to having you on the team." Said Dilandau, before I left. Way to break my heart.... "By the way, do you know where everyone is?"  
  
"Chesta will tell you. Good bye, Dilandau." I said.  
  
"Good bye... uh..." He suddenly flushed.  
  
"Julie." I said. "My name is Julie."  
  
"I never really asked, did I?"  
  
"Nope. But that's okay. I had a lot of fun here. Thanks for everything, Mr. Dilandau. But I really want to go home."  
  
"And you've figured out a way to do so?" he asked.  
  
"Yes. The pendant will send us home. I'm sure."  
  
"Okay."  
  
"Hey. I can't go on knowing we were still at "war." What do you say we call it a truce before I head out? Hmm?"  
  
Dilandau hesitated. "Okay," He said finally. "It's a truce. Good bye, Julie."  
  
"Good bye," I said, and gave him a hug. Just a quick one, because he wrinkled his nose and retaliated with a small shove.  
  
So the lot of us got on the Crusade: the ghost busters, the vampires, Rebecca, Lacey, Amanda, SuperShaun, Joanna, John, Justin, Buffy and gang, Allen, Van, Milerna, Merle, the Crusade crew, and myself.  
  
I waved over the back edge to Dilandau and Chesta. The other Dragon Slayers joined in. "Thanks Gatti and Chesta. Bye everyone. I'll miss you!!" I called out.  
  
"We'll miss you too!"  
  
"Bye Julie!"  
  
"Have a safe journey!"  
  
"Good bye!!"  
  
They were all waving and I was touched. A single tear ran down my face as I came to the realization that I was leaving all of my new friends behind. Soon the floating fortress was out of sight.  
  
We arrived at Fanelia later that evening. But again, my luck has to prove intolerable. Everyone stayed on the Crusade except Van and I. The two of us went to retrieve the Pendent. As we were walking through the halls of Van's magnificent castle, I found myself feeling like I could drop everything and stay on Gaia! No, Julie. You don't have a chance with Van. Staying would be dumb.  
  
"What are you thinking about?" Van asked me, breaking the uncomfortable silence.  
  
"Oh nothing," I sighed.  
  
"You know... you are the only one that wants to go back..."  
  
"What are you saying?" I asked, shocked.  
  
"Maybe you should re-think what you are doing."said Van.  
  
"And just what am I doing, Van? Ruining your little love affair with my friend?! I can't help but be resentful. But I don't really have a thing for you anymore, so eat your heart out. I want to go home." I stopped and took a deep breath. We had stopped walking. "And I'm not the only one. Joanna and John and Shaun, they all want to come back with me. All of the TV stars want nothing more than to go back. Look. I am obligated to make sure they make it home."  
  
"Since when is that YOUR obligation!? They are all old enough to make their own decisions!" He snapped.  
  
"VAN!!...." I yelled. I didn't have an answer. I stared at him. Van Fanel. King of Fanelia. I will leave and never see him again. Just like I left all of the Dragon Slayers and will never see them again. After a long pause, I said, "Alright Van. I'll let them choose. I'll let all of them choose. Let's get the Pendent and then return to the crusade. Then they will all make their choices. Watch and see how hectic it will be when someone isn't making their choices for them."  
  
"Okay."  
  
So we got the Pendant and returned to the ship. This was all unexpected and wasn't going according to plan. (And I worked so hard on it too!)  
  
"Alright!" I called out to everyone, sounding annoyed with the whole affair, but I couldn't help it. "If you are from Gaia, go over there, so I have just the people from Earth with me." I indicated a wall on one edge of the crowded room. "Now... those of you who want to go home, come stand behind me. If you want to stay on Gaia, by all means, join them." I indicated the Gaia group.  
  
Joanna came to my side right away. Everyone else hesitated, to see who would make what move. Just as I had suspected, the Movie Stars all came over to stand with me, followed by John not long after. Rebecca, after seeing that her vampires had returned, came and joined my group. Lacey, Amanda, SuperShaun, Justin, were left. SuperShaun and Amanda will be next, I thought. but they remained where they were. The four of them remained there. They didn't go over to the Gaia group or to mine. They were completely indecisive.  
  
"Guys, you know what's right. Come on. Let's go home."  
  
They hesitated, but then finally agreed to it.  
  
"Okay!" said Lacey, as they all moved over with us. "Let's go home!  
  
"I'm afraid I can't allow you to do that."  
We all turned to see Van, his hand resting on the hilt of his sword. Dangling from his other hand was the Pendant.  
  
"But... Van," said Lacey. Too late.  
  
Van had whipped the Pendant out of the flying Crusade.  
  
Our chance was gone... forever. 


	14. Is there still a way?

Part 14  
  
I was kneeling by the window Van had thrown the Pendant out of. My arms were dangling loosely out and I stared blankly at the landscape so far down below. Behind me, I heard Lacey break the silence of the long pause with shrill disbelief.  
  
"Van!? What the HELL did you do that for!?"  
  
"I can't let you go." replied Van, as if that should have been alright, and he couldn't figure out what the big deal was.  
  
"But Van, I have a family!"  
  
"You've told me a lot of things, Lacey. I know you don't want to go back."  
  
"Actually, I... do." Said Lacey, sadly. "I want to be here, but I... miss my home, and my family. I want to go home... we all do... and now you've taken that away from us!"  
  
"I love you, and I don't want to lose you like I lost Hitomi!!" Van said, becoming more shrill. He was raising his voice and I heard him walk towards Lacey. I turned around.  
  
"I love you too, Van."  
  
"You could be a queen."  
  
"But I do..." Lacey started but Van cut her off with a loud yell,  
  
"You WILL be a queen. MY queen."  
  
"VAN!!" Lacey shouted, matching his intensity.  
  
"This is the way it HAS to be!!" Said Van, no longer yelling  
  
"Van! You're not LISTENING to me!!" Lacey cried.  
  
"We'll make arrangements right away!" he continued, without even looking at her.  
  
"VAN!!!!"  
  
"HITOMI!! I LOVE YOU!!!" Snapped Van.  
  
Everyone fell silent, and Van realized what he'd said. We all stared at him. "Hitomi?! Van you just called me Hitomi. I am not Hitomi!"  
  
"I know, Lacey. Lacey, I know."  
  
"I can never be Hitomi, Van. You miss her and love her. You don't love me. It isn't the same. I can't be with you knowing I'm second choice. Knowing I'm Hitomi's replacement!!"  
  
"Hold it! Hold on just a minute." I stood up. I walked over to where Lacey and Van were standing. Everyone looked at me, to see what I had to say. I looked at them both. "Since when did this become about YOU?" I stared at Van. "Or even you Lacey? No offence."  
  
"None taken!" She said brightly. I turned back to Van.  
  
"Listen. You have some psychological problems, I realize that. I know you miss and love Hitomi, but get over yourself. You could use a lot of help. But this has never been about you. This is about me! All me! Everything that has happened so far has happened to or because of me! Not you or anyone else. In fact, you aren't even in it that often. John here," I indicated John, "He only has one line. Do you see where I'm coming from? I'm the star. Me."  
  
"Don't you think that's a little full of yourself, Jules?" Asked John. (Guess he's got two lines.)  
  
"Yes. It is." I replied. "But It's MY story. About ME! Besides, this is the only thing I could think of to stop Mr. This-close-to-being-over-the- edge over here, from rambling on about his depressing lost love story."  
  
"Fair enough." replied John. (That doesn't count. That's two words...)  
  
Just then, a large crash and a violent swerve indicated that we had just been run into. All of us toppled over.  
  
"What happened?!" Requested Allen harshly.  
  
"We've been boarded by a red guymelef, Sir!" shrieked Gadeth.  
  
"Dilandau," Said Allen resentfully.  
  
"Dilandau!" I said, not meaning to sound so happy and relieved in front of everyone who really didn't like the guy.  
  
Dilandau entered and looked at all of us. We all looked back.  
  
"So... what's going on?" He asked.  
  
"Why did YOU come here?!" said Amanda, SuperShaun and Allen at the same time.  
  
"Why not?" He replied.  
  
"Oooh... he's good." Said Rebecca  
in awe.  
  
"Actually, I just found it odd that you all hadn't left by Pillar of Light yet." Stated Dilandau. "Why?"  
  
"Van threw the Pendant out of the window." I muttered.  
  
"Oh?" Said Dilandau happily. He turned to face Van and cracked his knuckles. "Do you remember when Julie saved you from my wrath Van, when I swore to you that if you ever gave me a reason to kill you I would? Remember?"  
  
"Uh... Yes." Replied Van uneasily.  
  
"Well guess what?" Said Dilandau, a cruel but satisfied smile crossing his face.  
  
"This is... one of those... reasons?" Van asked and shrugged.  
  
They both pulled out their swords. "Precisely." Said Dilandau.  
  
"Whoa, whoa, whoa. Not on the ship." Said Allen, looking fretfully about. "How am I supposed to do heroic and knightly things without my ship? Can't you take it outside?"  
  
"My pleasure, Allen Schezar!" Said Dilandau, stalking menacingly towards Van. "This is for the scar on my cheek. This is for my Dragon Slayers! This is for Jajuka."  
  
"But the Dragon Slayers are all alive." Joanna interjected.  
  
"Yeah boss, we're right here." Chesta said, suddenly appearing in the room with many of the other Dragon Slayers.  
  
"Oh. Well that changes everything." Said Dilandau. Then he looked back to Van. "This is for the scar on my cheek. And for the recent grief you've caused these people."  
  
We all stood back as Dilandau raised his sword high and brought it down on Van. He missed, except for Van's cheek. They had matching scars, fresh blood running out of Van's face. Then Dilandau violently shoved Van so hard, he fell right out of the window he threw the Pendant out of.  
  
"He has fallen to his death. Down into the mysterious landscape below, to be rejoined with the pendant he cast away, even though he cared so much about it. Maybe it's better that he was reunited with Hitomi's pendant. Still, that's pretty ironic." I said.  
  
"I can't believe Van is dead." Said Lacey.  
  
Joanna was looking out the window. "Is there any way he could have survived it?"  
  
"I don't think so." replied Allen.  
"Oh well. He was such a nag anyway." Said Lacey. Everyone stared at her in disbelief.  
  
"So how are we going to get home?" I asked. "Any ideas. I'm fresh out."  
  
"I'll take you all home." Said Dilandau.  
  
"What?!"  
  
"Well I came and got you, didn't I?"  
  
"Well, yes. But you had the power to take us home ALL of this time!"  
  
"Yeah, but remember, you weren't free then. Just recently." He said. "I was quite prepared to take you home before you left on the Crusade, but you said you'd found a way. I'll take you now, though."  
  
"All of us!" I asked.  
  
"Yeah." Said Dilandau.  
  
"You are a lifesaver!"  
  
"Hey. Watch it!"  
  
And Dilandau and his Dragon Slayers took us home.  
  
All of us! 


	15. The Adventure is over or is it

Part 15  
  
The next day, we were all sitting around the Cafeteria table talking about the previous events. The Movie and TV stars had gone to their right places on Earth, SuperShaun went back to his own school, John went back to university, and my sister went back to live with our mom.  
  
Rebecca, Lacey, Amanda, Justin and I, the group we started with, were all together again.  
  
"What I don't understand," I said, "is that everyone had someone up there except me! I mean, Lacey had Van, even though it didn't work out, Rebecca had her vampires, Amanda had Allen and Shaun, and Justin had Milerna."  
  
"But there was someone for you. You just didn't acknowledge it." Said Amanda.  
  
"What?" I asked.  
  
"We saw it though." said Rebecca mischievously.  
  
"You can't mean..."  
  
"Yes." Said Lacey. "You and Chesta would have been perfect for each other!"  
  
"CHESTA?!" cried Justin. "Chesta?! I thought it would've been Dilandau. The two of them went through so much together and resolved all of their differences and fell in love. Right! They have to be together, it's just not fair!!"  
  
Everyone stared in awe at Justin. Then we all started to laugh while he remained completely confused. We laughed so hard and for such a long time that we were practically crying. Finally, when we settled down a little, we sat up and looked Justin in the face.  
  
"Me.... and Dilandau?" said I.  
  
"You obviously don't know much about Dilandau." Rebecca shook her head.  
  
"It would never work out." Said Amanda  
  
"Well why not!" asked Justin.  
  
"Because." I said. "Dilandau is a girl trapped in a psychotic male's body from which she can't escape until s/he loses everything and snaps."  
  
".................." Justin just stared at us. We laughed again.  
  
"What's so funny?" Asked a new voice.  
  
We all turned around and there was.... Chesta! He was wearing normal clothes and didn't have a sword or anything creepy like that. He was also wearing a big smile.  
  
"What are you doing here?!" I asked in surprise.  
  
"I live here now. Lord Dilandau let me stay."  
  
"Really? But why?"  
  
"Because I love you, Julie."  
  
I stared blankly at him.  
  
"I have a dress..." he said temptingly, waving a red dress in front of himself.  
  
I jumped up. "Oh all right! What have I got to lose." I grabbed the dress and Chesta's hand, and the two of us walked happily away. I could here the others say,  
  
"Look. Isn't that great!"  
  
"Awwww!"  
"Lacey, this isn't one of your Disney death scenes, don't cry for goodness sakes!"  
  
"I'm not, Rebecca! Why do you bug me about that!?"  
  
"You cried at Mighty Joe Young, and The Lion King!"  
  
"Guys! Stop! You're ruining the moment!"  
  
"Shut up, Justin!" And they all laughed.  
  
The End 


End file.
